Backlash as Former Nigerian Lawmaker Dangana Ocheja Marries Reportedly Teenager

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Former Kogi East senator Emmanuel Dangana Ocheja has drawn widespread reactions on social media after marrying an 18-year-old woman identified as Winifred, reportedly the best friend of his granddaughter.

The couple reportedly held their traditional wedding on September 13, 2026, followed by a white wedding in Abuja on September 19. 

The marriage came to public attention after entrepreneur Isaac Fayose congratulated the couple on social media. Fayose said the bride is a close friend of Ocheja’s granddaughter. Naija Feminists Media (NFM) could not independently verify the bride’s age or her relationship to the family, and found no statement from Ocheja or his representatives.

Ocheja represented Kogi East in the 7th National Assembly from 2011 to 2015 and is a member of the All Progressives Congress.

A video from the ceremony, showing the former senator dancing with his bride, was shared on X by @Akinjoshua2017. As at the  time of filing, it had drawn about 941,000 views and more than 200 replies.

Many of the replies reviewed by NFM target the groom.

One user, @purpletrees05, called him “a pedophile,” though the bride is reportedly 18, which is legally an adult in Nigeria. Another, @Nordmoorland, asked:  “Is she old enough to be sexualized? Or it depends on how rich the man is?” 

Others focused on the age gap, the bride’s vulnerability, and the lawmaker’s actions: @oyayiguagram wrote, “The problem is not that she chose to marry him; the problem is he is a 74-year-old man finding her attractive even before she turned 18.”

 @RemoteNwami wrote that basic needs “will look like a jackpot” when born into poverty, adding, “I no dey envy her.” 

“Mehn, what do they even talk about? Can you connect with a partner across this large gap?” @@C_enyinnah1 queried.